Manufacture of links



(No Model.)

P. F. GREENWOOD.

MANUFACTURE OF LINKS.

No. 310,415. Patented Jan. 6, 1885.

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WITNESSES,

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other and thoroughly weld the same, forming UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER F. GREENVOOD, OF OATASAUQUA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUFACTURE OF LlNKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,415, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed March 20, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PETER F. GREENWOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Oata sauqua, county of Lehigh, State of Pemr sylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Links, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a coil of metal, illustrating the first operation of manufacturinglinks embodyingmyinventiou. Fig. 2 is a side view showing the subsequent form of the metal. Fig. 3 is a section on line a; 00, Fig. 2. Fig. etis a view of a link.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists of a method of form ing a link from a bar of metal bent into a spiral form, the coils being welded and distended in opposite directions, thus converting the annular form of the coil into an ellipse. whereby a strong, durable, and reliable arti' cle is produced.

In carrying out my invention I take a bar of flat iron of the desired length, shape, and thickness and bend the same edgewise into helical form, the coils of said helix being of the same diameter and built up. as it were, one on the other, substantially as shown in Fig. 1. so that the coils are brought in contact and notlocated one within the other, as is common. The helix metal is now heated to a degree necessary for welding, and placed on a cylin drical--shaped roll and subjected to suitable rolls, which compress the coils one against the an annulus and round the exteriorface of the compressed coil, as shown in Fig. 2, the interior face of the coil being flat, as shown in Fig. 3.

It is evidentthat in lieu of rolls I may use suitable dies, a press, or drop or steam hanr mer to weld the coils and shape the same. The annulus is now placed upon pins, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3,) and motion communicated to said pins in opposite directions, the

effect of which is to elongate the annulus and No model.)

convert it into an elliptical or like shape, as shown in Fig. 4.

It will be seen that I produce a strong, durable, reliable, and inexpensive link, and am enabled to use inferior iron for the same, as the liber of the metal is continuous and coiled in a manner so as to secure the greatest amount of strength of which the metal is capable, and there are no laps or butt-joints.

I am aware that it is not new to form a link from a piece of metal the coils of which are onewithin the other; but in this case, when the coils are subjected to hammering or press are, they are spread laterally, and thus opened or imperfectly welded. In my case, as the coils are of equal diameter or approximately so, and placed one on the other, the rolling thereon forces them one against the other in the direction of the pressure, so that they are reliably welded or united, and the fiber of the metal is the same throughout the united coils, owing to the uniform diameters of the latter.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The improvement in the manufacture of a link, consisting in coiling a bar of metal into helical form, the coils being of equal diameter and placed'one on the other, rolling the coils so as to weld the same, forming an annulus, and then distending or elongating the annulus, converting it into an ellipse or link shape, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Anew andimproved mcthodinthemanufaeture of links for chains, consisting, first, in coiling a Hat bar of metal edgewise into a helical form; second, rolling the coils so as to weld the same and form an annulus having a rounded outer face and a flat inner one; and, third, in drawing out or elongating said annulus until it is of an elliptical or link shape, substantially as described.

PETER F. GREENWOOD.

Witnesses:

PHILIP B. LEG-HE, V. N. RAUB. 

